Cough cough… Didn't see that coming again, did you?
****** The moment he heard those words, Long Hui's expression lit up with excitement: "You mean the thing they're looking for is up ahead?"
"Indeed. They should have arrived here yesterday, but they haven't moved, which means they've reached their destination," Wen Feichen replied with a smile.
"Then what are we waiting for? We've been chasing them all this way — isn't this the moment we've been after?" Long Hui's lust had completely taken over. Rare treasures were secondary to him now; all he wanted was to finally see Xia Ningshang's true face. After days of holding back, how could he possibly endure any longer?
Wen Feichen chuckled: "They may have reached the destination, but it seems they haven't managed to obtain what they're looking for. Young Master Long, bear with it a bit longer. I guarantee that woman won't get away."
Long Hui grew impatient. Last time in that small town, Wen Feichen had said the same thing, and the result was a grueling pursuit with devastating losses. Now he was spouting the same words again, and Long Hui was none too happy.
But he couldn't appear too eager, so after a moment's thought he said: "Fine, we'll wait two more days at most. If they still haven't made a move by then, we strike!"
Wen Feichen nodded helplessly, letting out a quiet sigh inwardly. He thought to himself that this Long Hui was hopeless — a piece of mud that couldn't be molded into anything. With nothing in his head but women, his future achievements would certainly never amount to much.
In the dead of night under a dark sky and howling wind, Xia Ningshang — who had been recovering in the valley — finally opened her eyes. All traces of exhaustion had vanished; she had clearly made a full recovery.
After expressing her thanks, she and Yang Kai took out some food and drink.
"Midnight is almost upon us. When it comes, this valley will be filled with Yin energy. Junior Brother, don't stray too far from me. Your realm is low, and the Yuan Qi within your body is limited — you can't afford to spend it recklessly," Xia Ningshang warned him gravely.
"Mm." Yang Kai nodded. Although he had dozens of drops of Yang Liquid stored in his dantian and had no real worry about running out, he certainly wasn't about to reveal that.
The two chatted for a while longer, when a sudden change swept through the valley.
By all reason, a valley sunken dozens of zhang below the earth's surface, surrounded on all sides by rock walls, should have been perfectly still. Yet at this very moment, eerie yin winds suddenly began to howl through the valley, their moaning wailing like a woman crying in the night — enough to make one's skin crawl and heart race with fear.
Accompanying the sudden rise of the yin wind, a piercing cold seeped up from the ground, so intense that Yang Kai's True Yang Technique began circulating on its own.
This cold was nothing like the biting chill of winter gales. Instead, it carried a ghostly, bone-penetrating chill that crept straight into one's heart.
The True Yang Technique spun a fraction faster, and Yang Kai finally drove away the chill lurking at the bottom of his heart.
"Junior Brother!" Xia Ningshang suddenly tugged at Yang Kai, pulling him close to her side. She then produced a purple jade pendant and clutched it in her hand.
The moment he drew near Xia Ningshang, Yang Kai felt the surrounding cold vanish without a trace. In its place, a warm current flowed gently around them.
"Stay close to me and don't wander too far. This jade pendant can ward off the invasion of Yin energy," Xia Ningshang explained softly.
Yang Kai cast a surprised glance at the purple jade pendant and realized with a jolt that this, too, was an artifact. Clutched in Xia Ningshang's palm and activated with a surge of Yuan Qi, it emitted a faint glow that repelled all the surrounding Yin energy.
Yang Kai was stunned. The bracelet on this senior sister's wrist was an artifact, and now this jade pendant was another. How many did she have?
"Why are you staring at me?" Xia Ningshang's face flushed crimson, her voice no louder than a mosquito's buzz.
Yang Kai blinked, finally realizing the impropriety of their position.
Because the jade pendant's protective range wasn't very large, the two of them were standing practically pressed against each other. His arm, his shoulder — he could clearly feel her body warmth, the softness of her frame, and the light fragrance drifting from her hair.